Teretuhr
by exploding-nebulae
Summary: Kirk, Spock , and McCoy land on a hostile, uninhabited planet known as Onatas IV after Spock's analysis shows inconsistent readings. Rated Mature for sexual content-much later in the story. (All chapter titles, as well as the story title, are in Vulcan)
1. Chapter One: Sa'awek

Chapter One  
Sa'awek

James Tiberius Kirk was not the type of person who would deliberately trouble himself with personal afflictions. He was a man who had decidedly stayed dedicated to all issues concerning his crew. He was, at current, totally oblivious to the minute adjustments he was undergoing. These changes were minor, but each one brought another stir, a change, like a labyrinth with moving walls. However, he remained firmly planted in his person. He never stopped being James Tiberius Kirk. He was captain of the starship_ Enterprise_, the finest ship with the best crew in all of the Federation. He was the youngest and most determined captain and he knew that he had to prove himself to many while remaining in total control. He was one of a kind, James Kirk, but not complete. And the distorting walls of his mind's labyrinth were starting to slow and decide exactly where the end should be.

But for now his feet were leading him straight into Sick Bay. Nothing was wrong, at least not physically, with the captain. There was, however, something that he wanted to discuss with Doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy.

He exited the turbolift, having given the bridge to his second in command, and walked in his usual, confident stride. Jim stopped just in front of the Medical Bay door as it hissed open. He stepped inside and looked around for the doctor. Kirk found him tending to a currently unconscious ensign who had managed to electrocute himself somehow. Nurse Chapel was on the other side of the bed reading the patient's vitals when she saw him. "Oh, Captain Kirk," she announced in an intentionally soft tone. McCoy did not turn around, but nodded to Christine to instruct her to tend to the captain. She obeyed without giving any gesture of understanding and approached the captain. "Is there anything I can do for you, Captain?"

Kirk smiled and rested his hands on Chapel's shoulders for a moment as a way to say hello. "No, Christine. But thank you. I came to speak to Bones about something, but if he's busy..." he trailed off and looked briefly over her shoulder. The doctor was walking toward them now and raised his hand, shaking his head.

Christine turned to see him approaching and stepped aside and they formed a triangle when Bones joined them. She listened briefly as the men exchanged a greeting and felt as if she were intruding and retreated back to the patient's bedside.

Jim felt the doctor scanning him over with much scrutiny, no doubt evaluating his facilities. A moment of expectant silence followed, but Jim did not surrender to it.

"You look like you need a drink," exclaimed McCoy before the silence became awkward. Although Leonard was not always the kindest man, he did know when something was troubling the captain. And if he could see it as plainly as he could now, he knew that something needed to be done about it.

"You know, Doctor, I was just thinking the same thing," Jim said with a grin.

Without another word exchanged between the two, McCoy led the captain into his office and Jim took a seat in the doctor's chair. He looked around the room and collected his thoughts. As he heard Bones approaching him again, he turned his gaze up the doctor. It was then he decided that he would only divulge his thoughts if the doctor were to ask. For now small talk would be just fine and a welcome distraction.

"What do you think we're going to run into once we touch down, Bones?" Jim asked as the doctor filled their shot-glasses.

"I don't know," Bones replied flatly. He could tell when Jim was hiding something. Questions about their next beam-down was far, far from the captain's immediate concerns, McCoy knew that. "We'll just have to wait for Spock's analysis of the planet. Now, won't we?"

Jim took his tumbler, but did not drink the contents. Clearly this topic was an annoyance to him. So, through very fine-tuned and flawed logic, Kirk found it necessary to rouse the doctor's nerves, if only ever so slightly. "Yes, I suppose so. I just figured that you would have some hypothesis formed for the mission."

At this McCoy's eyes flickered with annoyance and he inhaled sharply. "I wasn't aware that we were in orbit until you stated so over the comm not even ten minutes ago."

"From what I could tell, the planet looked habitable. Is it possib-"

"Dammit, Jim. I told you that I don't know," McCoy snapped, his voice saturated with frustration.

"You mean to tell me that you have absolutely no clue what might happen once we beam down?" Jim asked with a sly grin.

"I'm a doctor, not a psychic. You want to know how I think the next mission will go, that's fine, but don't ask for specifics," grumbled McCoy crossly. "I think you are going to go down there after Spock relays his findings regardless of what they are and you're going to get yourself into a mess that _we're_ going to have to dig you out of."

"You really think that, Bones?" asked Kirk. He was somewhat taken aback. Jim had no intentions of drawing that much of a reaction out of his CMO. Besides, the captain was confident that there was nothing that he and the _Enterprise_ crew couldn't dig themselves out of.

McCoy let out an exasperated sigh that sounded more like a scoff. "No, I don't. You're a big boy, Jim. I trust that you can take care of yourself. But if _I_ have to pull your ass out of the fire and strap you down on one of those beds, I will." Kirk detected no sign of humor in his Chief Medical Officer's voice and averted his eyes to the tumbler full of brandy in his own hand, an amused smile tugging at his lips.

The bottle, which was on the table and well within safe grabbing distance should the good doctor decide to refill either one of their shot-glasses, was something that Bones had brought with him from home and it was part of Leonard McCoy's secret array of liquid "medicinal" contents. He had kept alcohol in the medical bay and used "It's a good blood thinner and anxiety suppressant" as his official excuse, that is,_ if_ he were to ever be questioned on the matter.

"The hell are you grinnin' at?" Bones demanded as Kirk downed his drink in one swift, graceful swallow.

After the sting of the drink ebbed, Jim's smile grew. He threw his hands up in mock defense then shrugged his shoulders as a response. Which Bones did not seem satisfied with, but accepted. There was a long moment's pause, not uncomfortable, but not altogether necessary.

Jim watched the doctor swirl the contents of his small glass in meticulous, circular movements with emotionless eyes. Behind the apathy rested an inquiry that ate away at his subconscious as acid would tissue paper, and he was running short of paper. Lately, there had been a shift in one of his closer relationships. Ever since the incident in the turbolift when he had lost control. Jim had not been himself. Alien influence had altered his mind and brought out his worst demon. And a man, who had complete and total control of himself, as always, exorcised it from his person with a singular, subtle action. But there was another instance that was slowly burning and trickling like liquid fire around him. A decision made by that same man that had rendered the captain momentarily speechless. The memory lingered in a shadowed corner of his mind and crept through the halls of his thoughts, but never once exited. It should have not been affecting him the way it was.

"Now, I doubt you just came down here to talk shop, Jim" Bones said with dry humor. He raised his tumbler to Jim and slugged it back. "In fact, you usually give Sick Bay as wide a' berth as you can." Through the sarcasm and small chides, McCoy was genuinely concerned and the Captain knew it. Which made what he wanted to say seem all the more foolish.

"Can I be honest with you, Bones? I was surprised when Spock chose a flesh and blood man over a theoretically perfect machine. It seemed...illogical, even to me," Kirk's confession left his mouth as a puff of smoke would leave a coal-train, but the edges of his lips were pulled into a slight smile. Between Kirk's hands sat the previously full tumbler that turned when Jim rolled his hands around it. He watched as the doctor walked away with the partially empty bottle of brandy. One drink seemed to suffice them both.

"Of course, Jim," McCoy replied, somewhat taken aback by the conversation's sudden change. He did not let it show on his face, seeing that Jim was truly fixed on this topic. "Spock can try to spin it anyway he wants, call it logic, but when it comes down to it," he said as he returned to the desk. McCoy propped himself against the table and looked down at Kirk, whose troubled, honey colored eyes were trained on him. The conversation had definitely taken an interesting turn. "...he acted in a purely emotional, human manner. Sure, he can say the machine was faulty and he didn't want mixed up in it, but no matter what he says, that green-blooded stoic chose you over it because he's attached to you in some way."

There was something about the way Bones had said _attached_ that caused the captain to submerge himself in thought. Kirk evaluated what he could instantly recall of Spock's personality and how the Vulcan would react-sometimes emotionally-to his captain. Whether logic was involved or not, Spock _did_ react to Kirk, there was no doubt about that. There were occurrences where it appeared Spock acted in an emotional manner. The actions could be logically deduced and were well thought out, but emotional nonetheless.

Kirk rose from his seat and folded his arms across his chest, eyes fixed on the wall in front of them. His form was close to Bones as he reviewed what the doctor had said. The captain knew that he and Spock shared something that was related to, but could not directly be defined as friendship. They were called best friends by many and the doctor had reiterated the title time and again. In most cases there was an unspoken bond between a captain and his second in command. This was how Kirk viewed his and Spock's relationship along with the harmless addition of friendship. There were, however, some aspects to their relationship that could not be defined as simply professional or strictly friendly, especially as of late. It was stronger than that, deeper than that, but the captain had never been able to place it. He knew the Vulcan considered him an invaluable member of the crew and respectable as a man. But some of Spock's actions exceeded the call of duty when it came to Jim. He was unerringly loyal to Kirk and was always at his side.

"And I don't care how he tries to justify himself, Jim. He's still half human and that half isn't emotionless," McCoy's voice penetrated the captain's engrossed mind. Jim looked back to the doctor with curious eyes. "It's that damn logical Vulcan mind that messes with him. Add to that his training on Vulcan as a child and you have a completely apathetic being. But you act like a...counterbalance of sorts. Don't ask me how, but you pull the human half of him to the surface." Bones paused briefly to let the words marinate with the captain before he proceeded. "Think about it, Jim. When was the last time you saw Spock smile or react emotionally?"

Kirk thought about the doctor's question for a short time. He thought of the less than rare moments Spock would draw his lips up into something resembling a smile, when he would show hints of annoyance, anger, frustration, peace, pleasure, and generally when he displayed emotion. There was one time that was more prominent than the rest.

"The last time I saw Mr. Spock smile was when he was incapacitated by alien flora and hanging from a tree. I'm sure you remember the time, Doctor," replied the captain with a chuckle. At the time there was no humor in the situation. Kirk's entire crew had mutinied and succumbed to the local flora of a planet that, upon inhaling the plant's spores, one would entirely forget all negative emotion. The affected person would then experience a constant, false sense of euphoria. The only member of the crew who had sustained his wits was the captain. He watched his entire crew fall to the plant, including Mr. Spock. Kirk knew that bringing Spock back to reality was imperative and, through regrettable actions, did just that. Then, together, they worked on recessing the crew to their proper minds.

Bones raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips before speaking. "Yes, I remember. But you can't include that time, Jim. He wasn't in his right mind." McCoy's voice involuntarily lowered as he continued. "The last time Spock smiled was when he saw you alive after he thought he'd killed you." He dropped his hands to his sides and looked at the captain with a severe gaze. "There are other examples of Spock responding to you with emotion and you know it."

Kirk ran his tongue along the inside of his mouth and shrugged his shoulders. "But, Bones, can we really count that? Spock said himself that his reaction was log-"

"Logical! To hell with '_logic_'. I'm tired of hearing that word. Jim, if I have to say it until I'm blue in the face, I'll do it," McCoy's voice had grown in volume. He positioned himself directly in front of the captain so he could meet Kirk's eyes, no longer looking at him from the side. "Spock reacts to _you_."

Kirk searched for a response but was unsuccessful. He nodded absentmindedly as another question slowly brought itself to light. "What are you suggesting, Bones?" There had to be a point for this dramatic display. Spock was often the source of Leonard McCoy's frustration, but he rarely spoke of the Vulcan in the current context.

"I've said all that I have to say, Jim. I don't make a habit of reading into things, especially when it comes to Spock," McCoy replied as he relaxed and reclaimed his seat. "You asked. I just thought I'd tell you what I've obser-"

The whistle of the intercom interrupted Bones and he gave an annoyed sigh. "Speak of the devil..." he muttered under his breath.

Kirk chuckled quietly and answered the call.

"_Bridge to Sick Bay,_" Spock's rustic, monotone voice sounded tinny as it came from the speaker. Bones raised his brow in response to the sound then appeared disinterested in the call. He _did_ appear interested in the captain's reaction to the Vulcan.

Kirk felt foreign hearing Spock's voice after having just discussed the man's emotional side with his friend. Another feeling stirred low within his stomach, something that bordered apprehension and guilt for having spoken of a man while he was not present. There was something about it that didn't match guilt, and it was heavy. Whatever it was, Jim pushed the negative sensation aside. He gave the doctor a hard look before replying to the call. "Sick Bay. Kirk here, go ahead."

"_Spock here, Captain. It would appear that the planet we are currently orbiting reads as Class M. It has a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere and is rich with vegetation similar to that of Earth_," said Spock in a clear and concise tone.

The information being relayed was nothing new and it was certainly something that could have been announced when Kirk returned to the Bridge. His curiosity was piqued. Just as he was about to speak, Spock's voice picked up again.

"_However, there is something inconsistent with the evaluation of the planet._" Jim could almost hear the raised brow of his second in command after the pause. And without even having to imagine too much, he could hear the '_fascinating_' in every syllable of Spock's sentence.

"Yes, Mr. Spock, what is it?" Kirk urged as he looked to Bones, who was now paying close attention to the intercom. Curiosity was burning in each of them and the interim between the captain's inquiry and the science officer's reply seemed much too long for either of them.

"_I have detected very low radiation levels in the areas that should have significantly high readings. The only logical conclusion is that something on the planet that is deflecting the radiation in those specific sectors. The regions are virtually bereft of all consistent and normal readings of this class planet_," explained Spock without pause. There was no urgency in his voice, though Jim thought he heard something that brushed the edge of curiosity. "_Another inconsistency, Captain. I have not been able to locate any source of sentient life on the planet_."

Kirk exchanged a look with McCoy as he responded. "Dr. McCoy and I will be up momentarily. Spock, I want your evaluations and speculations ready for me when I get to the Bridge. Kirk out," Jim said quickly and disconnected from the communcation line. He started toward the door and heard McCoy following close behind him. "You're beaming down with us, Bones," he instructed as they entered the turbolift. "If there is something blocking radiation down there that's throwing off Spock's readings, we need to bring you along."

"It can never just be because you like my company, can it?" McCoy chided as Kirk gave the command to go to the bridge.

Jim raised a brow and beamed, a laugh very near erupting from his throat. "That's a reason, too, Doctor," he chuckled and gave Bones an affectionate pat on the back. As the turbolift quickly ascended, Kirk and McCoy remained silent. The jocularity returned to its place in the back of their minds. They thought two different ways of the same topic. Jim of Spock's evaluation and personal suggestions about the mission. McCoy of how Jim would act upon Spock's aforementioned contributions.

Kirk stepped out of the turbolift like their previous conversation had never taken place. Honey eyes fixed themselves on the science officer. For some reason, a part of Jim had expected Spock to somehow change in the time the captain had spent in Sick Bay. Spock, indeed, had not altered his person in any way, shape, or form in the short time Kirk had been away. Jim promptly felt that strange emotion that bordered apprehension jump then lurch in his stomach, but he ignored it.

"Anything new, Mr. Spock?" His voice was his commanding tone, there were no traces of what was internally troubling him. Jim closed in on Spock, who was leaning over his analyzer. Curiosity chewed away at him and successfully masked whatever it was that he was feeling before.

Spock stood up with a fluidity that would always be a marvel to Jim. He knew it had to do with the difference of gravitational force on Vulcan, but that didn't stop him from admiring his friend's natural grace. "No new developments, Captain," Spock replied plainly as he looked at the captain. Jim met his eyes and gave a nod. It wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear, but it was what they had.

"Lieutenant Uhura, have three security guards meet us in the transporter room. Whatever's blocking Mr. Spock's readings might pose as a threat," he said without breaking eye contact with Spock.

"Aye, aye, sir."

There was something in Spock's gaze that seemed like fleeting curiosity and then it was gone, but he had seen it nonetheless. "All right, Spock, any suggestions before we beam down?" Jim asked, still holding the Vulcan's eyes. This time there was not a shift.

Spock paused for only a moment, looked away from the captain as though to think, then returned his gaze back to Jim's honey colored eyes. "Yes, I would suggest that we take the shuttlecraft instead of the transporter beam. If, for any reason, we are unable to communicate with the ship and if our departure is imperative to our survival, we can still safely escape in the shuttle."

"Lieutenant, belay my last order. Have the security detail meet us in the shuttle bay," he said slowly as he forced himself to break contact with the Vulcan. There had been another flicker both within him and on the science officer's features. Spock almost seemed pleased with himself.

"Yes, sir." There was a smile in Uhura's voice.

"Gentlemen," Jim turned to Dr. McCoy and then to Spock. "It looks like we have a shuttle to catch," he said with a grin then turned to his chief engineer, who was already getting out of his seat. "Scotty, mind the store. We'll be back soon."

"Aye, sir," Scotty nodded in response and quickly took the Captain's chair.

"Lieutenant, I want in constant radio contact. If our channels go dead for any reason, give us six hours before sending a small search party. If they don't return with us, or if they don't return at all after four more hours," he said and directed his attention to both Uhura and Scotty. "Contact Starfleet and warp out of here to the nearest Starbase." His voice had been completely void of emotion while giving his instructions.

"Jim." That was Spock. "There is a high probability that radio transmissions will be blocked. It would not be prudent to alert the crew if there is no immediate danger." At this, Kirk looked back at Spock and saw something in those chocolate eyes. "However, the time frame that you have suggested is reasonable."

"Still try to keep in contact, Lieutenant," Jim ordered and turned to the bridge's screen. "Mr. Spock, were you able to get a reading on the planet's surface temperature?"

"Yes, Captain. Twenty-eight point zero three degrees Celsius. Slightly warmer than the surface temperature of Earth. Due to this increased temperature and the water to land ratio, the vegetation grows quite rapidly."

"All right, I think we've adequately wasted enough time," Kirk said a little impatiently and moved to the turbolift. Spock and McCoy followed close behind.

The ride on the lift was a silent one. They stopped twice on their way to the shuttlecraft. Once to allow Bones to gather his equipment and another time for Kirk and Spock to gather theirs.

They made their way through the Shuttle Bay to the craft that had been designated for their assignment. They were met by the guards, all fairly young with poorly hidden flushed cheeks and bright eyes. They were excited, but none of them wore blatant smiles. Good. They knew their job was serious. They quickly introduced themselves before getting underway.

One man was almost as tall as Spock, average in muscle tone, and had a look in his eye that was disciplined. Name: Ensign Randolph Miles. The woman beside him was, for as toned and muscular as she was, pretty with short red hair. Her smile, however, was the first to fade, but it returned slightly after Jim flashed her a grin of his own. Name: Ensign Elizabeth Donnelly. The third was a man similar to the Captain's size and build with tan skin and crew cut. Name: Ensign Richard Bailey.

Kirk then explained the mission details and what was expected of them. They listened without protest and when he instructed them onto the shuttle, not a single drop of hesitation was found. Jim smiled as he watched them go then looked to his left at Spock, who had apparently had his eyes trained on _him_ the entire time. Or at least it felt that way. That feeling from before crawled its way back into his stomach and rolled over a couple of times. He forced it away and ignored the slight embarrassment he felt.

"Mr. Spock, you're the most capable man for the shuttlecraft controls. If you would do me the honor," he said with his smile still fixed in place and Spock nodded. He watched then as the Vulcan entered the craft. Jim's grin became wider, prouder. He had noticed a reaction when he looked to Spock without warning. It was gone just as quickly as it came, but some sort of emotion had been there. Maybe Spock wasn't as emotionless as they all thought he was. Jim knew this simply from looking at the Vulcan. He had learned to be able to read his first officer...for the most part.

McCoy's words echoed in the back of his mind and he looked to his CMO, who was glowering expectantly-and impatiently-at him. Jim thought he caught something else in McCoy's eyes. Suspicion. He hurriedly averted his gaze and they entered the craft.

Everyone had already situated themselves in an orderly fashion. The security detail was now calm, quiet, and deeply focused. Jim nodded to them before sitting in the chair next to Spock.

"Ready to depart from the _Enterprise_ on your order, Captain."

"Go ahead," ordered Kirk in a tone that sounded more like a suggestion than a command, but Spock obeyed without a moment's hesitation.

"Pressurizing interior atmosphere to compensate for external conditions in three...two...one." Spock counted down with such accuracy one might have suspected he was not at all a living organism. "We have achieved lift off, Captain. Now exiting Shuttle Bay. Take off cleared. Entering orbit of Onatas IV in two minutes."

"Nice and easy, Mr. Spock," instructed the Captain, though he knew Spock was more than able to control the vessel. He opened the comm in the shuttle and contacted the _Enterprise_. "Kirk to _Enterprise_."

"Enterprise. _Scott here, Captain._"

"Take off successful, Mr. Scott. We should be entering the planet's orbit in a minute and thirty seconds. Keep a lock on our position as long as you can, Scotty. Kirk out," Jim's voice was even and without elation. Take off was the easy part. Hitting descent at the right moment was a bit more difficult.

He looked to Spock and saw the Vulcan staring intently ahead, focused on the task at hand. Somehow that helped dissipate some of the uneasiness he felt about entering the planet's atmosphere. Spock was calm and calculated. At times it was mistaken for coldness. The Vulcan was ruthless at times, Kirk would give him that, but he trusted Spock at the helm with this descent more than he would trust himself. With that in mind, Jim turned his chair around to look at Bones who was focusing on his equipment. The doctor muttered something that was supposed to be an acknowledgement. He moved his eyes over the security guards one last time to see the same determination in them. The glint in their eyes had been left on the _Enterprise_.

Good.

As he was turning around, Spock's voice came on cue, "One minute until descent, Captain."

"Maintain current speed." All was silent for nearly half a minute when the shuttlecraft jolted twice. Spock came under Jim's scrutiny not a moment after. "Report."

"Experiencing a minor gravitational shift."

"Compensate," ordered the Captain. Spock, being on the exact same page as Jim, was already making minor adjustments to their course. Kirk stood and moved behind Spock, his fingers curled into the back of the chair. "Status, Spock."

"All clear, Captain. Descent in fifteen seconds," Spock shifted in his seat and Jim immediately realized that he had invaded the Vulcan's space.

Jim hesitantly lifted his hands and moved away from Spock. He felt a pair of eyes on him as he returned to his seat. Whose eyes, Jim hadn't the slightest idea.

"Ten," Spock began the countdown and rapidly adjusted controls to make for a smooth landing. "Nine...eight...seven...six...five...four...three. ..two...one. Entering atmosphere now. Hull temperature rising, but manageable."

"Hold steady, Mr. Spock," Jim commanded as he held to the dash. Each person in the shuttlecraft was holding on to something to keep them steadied. There was no such thing as a graceful descent, but Spock was making it much smoother than anyone else aboard the craft would be able to. And then the turbulence stopped. They were safely through the atmosphere.

Jim turned his attention back to Spock who was now easing the craft into a landing position. "Alright, everyone," Kirk started in an authoritative voice. He was standing now and looking at Bones and the security detail. "It's going to be a bit warmer than you're used to and also very humid. If you suspect that you will have trouble breathing, I suggest that you speak with Dr. McCoy here and get it taken care of. I don't want anyone fainting during our sweep of the area." He placed his hand at the very edge of the driver's chair as he looked down to see Spock moving his head to look at the Captain. This time, he did not shift in his seat. "Very nice work, Spock," he complimented with a genuine smile.

"Thank you, Captain." And there it was. Yes, Spock's voice sounded almost emotionless. _Almost_. There was an appreciation in his tone and a momentary flash of something...warm in his eyes. Then it was gone as if it never existed. Had his imagination gone hyperactive on him or had Bones just made him more aware of Spock? Surely the former seemed the more logical explanation. Spock was Vulcan and Vulcans do _not_ show emotion because it is_ illogical_.

He moved away from Spock and flipped open his communicator. The noise it had made when the lid flipped alerted him that it was still working. Another small victory. "Kirk to _Enterprise_."

"_Scott here, sir. Locked on t' your position. Although radio contact is fine, you're showing up a bit weak on this end, Captain_," Scotty's tin sounding voice was a bit baffled.

"Keep us in sight as long as you can, Scotty. We'll keep in touch via communicator. Kirk out."

As he closed the communicator Kirk could feel Spock's warm countenance behind him. He ignored the heat radiating from the Vulcan's body, finding himself familiar with its presence. Everyone stood and awaited orders.

"Now, we're going in blind, but not deaf. Our communicators are still in perfect working order. When we get out here, we're going to split up into two search parties. Three each. I want communicators turned on at all times, an update every five minutes, and anything troubling reported to me at once."

The ensigns nodded, none of them visited Bones, which could be taken two ways. One, they were stubborn and wanted to show off. Or, the just as likely option, they genuinely did not need assistance. For a moment he contemplated making them all receive a hypo to stimulate them, then decided against it. There was a possibility those hypos would be useful in the future.

"Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy, and I will exit first, after that, we cover as much ground as we can in four hours. Look for anything that seems suspicious. If, for some reason, there is life on this planet, the Prime Directive must be upheld. Should anything attack you, have your phasers set on stun. Do not kill unless it is absolutely necessary. We'll meet back here in two hours if all goes according to plan."

With that out of the way, Kirk gave a nod to confirm that he was finished speaking. When he moved over to the control panel of the shuttlecraft doors, he felt something in him caution against opening the door and he hesitated. In that brief moment of hesitation a hot hand shot out and slender fingers swiftly wrapped themselves around the cuff of Jim's shirt. Spock was squeezing his wrist...and hard.

Startled, Jim tried to snap his hand away from the Vulcan but realized he hadn't simply grabbed him. That would have been illogical. When Spock was certain that Jim wasn't going to open the door, he let go and took a step back. He placed his hands neatly behind his back.

"Spock?"

"Although there were no initial readings of life on this planet, Jim, I heard movement outside of our shuttlecraft as you were finishing your instruction detail. It was so quiet that I almost missed it. I thought that I should inform you and the rest of the landing party of its presence."

Jim had felt it in his gut. Everything had been too _easy _for it just be another routine sweep. His curiosity had been utterly piqued by the new development. Just what exactly was outside the shuttlecraft that made Spock so quick to nearly crush his captain's wrist?


	2. Chapter Two: Rihag'es

**My apologies for taking a lifetime to get chapter two on the board. Here it is regardless. I'm actually kind of surprised that anyone bothered with it. Thank you so much~**

* * *

Chapter Two  
Rihag'es

The walls of James Tiberius Kirk's mind altered slightly. Even as they shifted, he was unaware of what was to unfold before him. His mind's labyrinth was inchoate, rudimentary in its final design. He felt and did not feel close to whatever it was that he was moving toward. And it was there, remaining but not unchanging. It flowed and ebbed as the ocean tide. His unbeknownst ambition displaced him. It offset his withstanding balance with such atomity that Kirk remained uninhibited by its presence. It existed and did not exist. He could not know of its presence but he would become aware of it in time.

"What are your suggestions?" Kirk asked Spock in full confidence the Vulcan would undoubtedly have an answer. Jim absentmindedly rubbed the place where Spock had grappled onto his wrist.

The science officer's eyes traveled to Kirk's wrist for a moment. Jim dropped his hands to his sides and Spock's gaze returned to rest on the captain. A question was burning in Vulcan eyes that Jim couldn't ignore. The captain shook his head so minutely that any human would have missed it, but not Spock. Along with exceptional hearing Spock had much keener sight. The dark chocolate eyes dismissed all curiosity and returned to their apathetic appearance.

"I would advise carrying out orders as you have instructed them. It would be prudent for the security detail to report any and all findings that may suggest sentient life forms." Spock's counsel wasn't exactly what Kirk wanted to hear. An annoyed exhale discharged from his nostrils and he clicked his tongue off the roof of his mouth.

"Can your tricorder pick up any readings of whatever was making the noise?" Kirk asked, his eyes fixed on Spock.

The Vulcan already had the device out and was scanning through the walls of the shuttle. "Negative, Captain. Only the vegetation that I had previously recorded. I have accounted for all environmental variables, as well. The only logical assumption is that whatever is responsible for the disturbance has the ability to remain impervious to my scanner."

Jim moved his eyes over the landing party, his mind reeling with the new variables that had presented themselves. His gaze rested on the young woman who had introduced herself as Ensign Donnelly. When she caught his eyes on her face her jaw clenched then relaxed. Her jade eyes were full of youth and vitality, determination and discipline. Still, there was something in her features that made him wary of what they were about to do. She could not have been over the age of twenty-three and yet she was put on a mission that had just taken a very hostile turn.

"Captain Kirk," the ensign began in a formal tone. Her Scottish accent was thick, but her articulation was near perfect. "If I may say something, sir." It wasn't exactly a demand, nor was it question. Jim could feel every pair of eyes in the craft on him save for a set behind him. He fought the urge to turn and look at Spock.

"Speak freely, Ensign," instructed Kirk as he clasped his hands behind his back. There was an unanticipated warmth that stirred around his hands and crept up his spine. He questioned the sensation at first then realized that Spock had returned to his position behind Jim. The captain's fingertips flushed at the closeness. The feeling was threatening to flood over the rest of his body, but he wouldn't permit it. He swallowed and shifted his weight as the ensign relaxed her shoulders. Spock, however, remained firmly planted behind the captain.

"If i'tis a hostile being out there, shouldn't we go first to ensure your safety?" Donnelly asked in an even tone. Nothing of how she presented herself uttered hostility or defiance. She matched his honey gaze with her jade. The ensign was a prime example of what the Federation had to offer.

However logical that the ensign's suggestion might have been, Kirk would not superfluously endanger the lives of his crew. He swore against it the day he took command of the _Enterprise_. Most people not in command saw the ensigns and security detail as expendables. Everyone was expendable with the exception of the bridge, medical, and engineering personnel. That was not the case on the _Enterprise_. Kirk saw himself as the only true expendable crew member.

"Out of the question, Donnelly," Kirk returned. He held a tone of finality that made Donnelly break eye contact. "Just be ready for anything," he said to the rest of the party. Jim turned to the control panel and quickly entered the code for the hatch. He felt Spock shift beside him and heard McCoy take a step forward. Jim pulled out his phaser as the hatch hissed opened.

Kirk stepped out of the shuttlecraft with his phaser drawn and his senses alert. Spock followed close behind, keeping near enough for Jim to feel the Vulcan's body heat. Bones dropped out next and stood on the captain's left. Around them was an ocean of emerald, but not a single life-form.

Jim silently searched the exterior of the shuttlecraft and found nothing that would have entreated Spock's level of awareness. He looked to the Vulcan with a question that momentarily died in his throat. What presented itself before his eyes was nothing short of spectacular and Kirk involuntarily gawked at his science officer.

Spock's pale skin was caressed by the hue of his surroundings in a surprisingly becoming manner. The regulation science shirt that clung to the subtle strength of his torso stood apart from the sage colored world around it. His deep chocolate eyes reflected the earth below and the trees that filled the space behind Jim. That embarrassingly heavy heat Kirk had felt in his stomach now lapped tenderly at his heart and trickled down to his abdomen.

Kirk swallowed the feeling as he looked to his chief medical officer. Bones was still scanning the area with a look of conjecture. His features fixed in a look that could only be skepticism. McCoy was not pleased with the turn of events.

Jim turned to the shuttlecraft and summoned the rest of the landing party to disembark from the vehicle. He watched as the ensigns descended from the craft. "You can put your phasers away. There's…nothing here."

Bailey's first instinct was caution, Jim could tell, and he employed it as he looked around for any immediate threats. Finding none, the young ensign relaxed his shoulders and stood silently by the craft with hands clasped behind his back. Miles exited second, his stride long and confident. He, too, wore a mask of vigilance as he took his place beside Bailey. Last came Donnelly. She was the only one who did not find it necessary to be blatantly attentive. It became apparent to Kirk that Donnelly was fully aware of her environment even if her immediate disposition did not attest to it.

"Mr. Spock, are you absolutely sure that you heard something?" Jim was loath to think that Spock could have imagined anything. It wasn't within the Vulcan's nature to think in the abstract. His honey eyes returned to his science officer and found himself under much scrutiny.

"I am aware of what I heard, Captain," Spock replied flatly. "Vulcans do not make premature assumptions," he continued with irritation flickering in his dark eyes. "It is very likely that whatever creature I heard is watching us at this very moment." The Vulcan paused after speaking and took a step closer to the captain.

"Then whatever's dodging us has the ability to keep avoiding us for as long as we're on this planet?" Kirk asked with a furrowed brow. He wasn't confused and there was no true reason for him to make the inquiry. It was one of his human weaknesses-Spock's reassurance.

"Precisely, Captain," Spock affirmed with his tricorder in hand.

Jim watched with a careful eye as the science officer took more readings. Nothing came of them and with an apprehensive feeling in his gut, Jim turned to the younger half of the landing party.

"As long as we pick up no life-form readings," he spoke in a cautious but orderly voice. There was something terribly wrong about this planet. He felt it and he was aware that Bones empathized with him. "…we are to carry out our orders as directed. Stay in radio contact at all times." He fought the urge to look back at Spock, whose dark eyes were burning into the captain's back. "Follow Mr. Spock's suggestion. If you find anything out of place, a slight movement not caused by the wind, a rustle that you can't explain. Contact us and take cautionary action." Jim scanned over their faces and found Donnelly staring directly into him. She was a person reader and in a split moment, he knew that she could see his disdain for the situation they had been handed. He passed her a small nod and she straightened up. "Be careful out there. Dismissed."

He watched as the men followed Donnelly into the thick foliage. She was a natural leader as well. There was a silent authority in her graceful step as the trio was swallowed by a wall of emerald. Jim thought of the young woman as he turned to his chief medical officer. Ensign Donnelly was and was not security material. She was perfectly disciplined but there was a fire in her that demanded loyalty and respect. She should have went for command, not security.

"We better get moving, Jim. I'd like to get back to the ship before our earlier conversation proves itself correct," Bones commented gravely. Jim nodded and looked to Spock and saw him awaiting orders.

There was nothing in those dark eyes that suggested Spock's curiosity as to what the chief medical officer was referencing. This was one of the greatest reliefs of having Spock around. He was not a particularly nosy person and only asked relevant questions about the task at hand. It derived from the Vulcan sense of privacy, which was as much a blessing as it was a curse. Jim often wondered what ran through the Vulcan's mind. He pondered the true depth of Spock's thought process and found that he couldn't begin to imagine what it must be like. An intricate web of logic and suppressed emotion. The dealings of his past, the decisions of the present, the hypotheses of the future. The titanic being that was Spock's brain could only be described as impalpable. Truly unascertainable.

He shook the thought from his mind and whatever it was that stirred in him at the mention of Spock with it. His second in command was staring back at him with a raised brow. There was an edge of curiosity in that chocolate gaze now and Jim wondered how long he had been gaping at his science officer. "Mr. Spock," Kirk began as he cleared his throat. "I want your tricorder set to pick up any movement. And try to keep a reading on the security detail."

"Yes, Captain," Spock replied with a small nod.

Jim clasped his hands together and turned to McCoy. "Doctor, I want you to keep your eyes peeled. I don't want anything taking us by surprise. Apparently our electronics are not be trusted on this planet. Whatever or whoever is watching us has the knowledge to remain invisible to our devices and probably the ability to deactivate them if necessary. Let's go."

They set off in the opposite direction of the security detail. Jim took the first steps into the thick foliage and found his bearings quite natural. The humidity accumulated on his brow and beads of sweat formed shortly thereafter. As they ventured deeper, the captain silently thanked the planet for being devoid of insect life for surely they would have been flocking to his person.

Jim's communicator chattered. He grabbed the device and answered the call. It was the other half of the landing party.

"_Donnelly t' Captain Kirk_,_"_ came the calm, accented voice of the young ensign. A shell of a smile formed on Jim's lips, pleased to hear the natural authoritative ring in her words.

"Kirk, here. What's your status, Ensign?"

"_All clear so far, Captain. We're approximately…" _There was a brief pause as the ensign decided on her position. _"Half a klick from the landing zone. Bailey, Miles, and I are following orders as you have instructed, Captain. Our tricorder has picked up no immediate lifeforms."_

"Thank you, Donnelly. Keep us informed. Kirk out," Jim stated as he closed his communicator. His eyes moved over Bones, a silent question in them. Was it possible for Spock to have misinterpreted whatever it was that he heard? Bones replied in his own silent way, his gaze changing from confused to skeptical. He watched as the medical officer turned the question over in his mind and settle on an answer. Spock was Vulcan and Vulcans rarely make mistakes.

He gave a huff to clear his head and continued onward. The greenery around them carried faint odors, some pleasant, others not as quite. The aromas synthesized in the soup-like air around them. Jim wiped sweat from his brow as they continued to move. There was nothing surrounding them save for plants. No sentient beings, no bugs, not even the call of a bird chattering in the distance and yet Kirk held within him a combination of two emotions he did not wish to possess. He felt as though he was being watched and even worse, he was skeptical of Spock's actions in the shuttlecraft.

The feeling ate away at him no matter how much he tried to suppress it. There had been nothing outside the shuttle when they had set foot on this planet and yet Spock swore that he had heard something. The Vulcan had accounted for any possible interference from natural causes such as wind and unnatural causes such as the shuttlecraft. He stuck by his claim that he had heard something that did not belong to either category.

"Captain," Spock's voice broke through the captain's thoughts. The three of them stopped and Jim looked to the Vulcan with curious eyes. "I am detecting a large body of water approximately one mile north of our current location," relayed the science officer. Spock looked up from his tricorder with a slightly furrowed brow. "It appears that there are some lifeforms dwelling within the water. I presume fish, Captain. There are no other readings that indicate complexities within these creatures. Their heat signatures mirror those of the fish on Earth."

Jim's eyes widened at the information. He moved closer to Spock to examine the Vulcan's tricorder. It was definitely giving out readings of life. He moved away from Spock, finding the Vulcan's body heat to not be favorable in the already sultry weather of the planet. He grabbed his communicator and signaled the _Enterprise_.

"Kirk to _Enterprise_. Come in _Enterprise_." There was a delay that made Kirk's brow drop and his jaw clench. "Kirk to _Enterprise_. Mr. Scott, do you read?"

"_Scott, here, Captain. We were trying to lock on t' your position, but we can't find you. We lost visual contact the moment the landing party split up," _Scotty said quickly. He was speaking as if they could lose radio contact at any moment. Given the clarity of the engineer's voice, Kirk didn't find it necessary to dwell on the thought. _"We can read the shuttlecraft, Captain. That's what has us confused."_

"Scotty," began Jim calmly. "I'm going to patch in the other half of the landing party. Have Lieutenant Uhura and Chekov run a cross reference of our communicator frequencies to see if you can get a lock on us."

_"That's just the thing. We can get your messages, we just canna find you," _Scotty stressed through the small speaker of the communicator.

Kirk worked his tongue at his teeth and turned to Spock. "Mr. Spock, is it possible, if we all turned our communicators on, for Scotty to get a faint reading of our position?" He kept the fleeting desperation out of his voice. The nagging feeling that had been eating away at him, the paranoid sensation of being watched was creeping back to him. Bones must have felt it, too, for he moved beside Jim.

"Quite possible, Captain. However, given the power of the disturbance, it may not be possible for the _Enterprise_ to acquire an accurate reading of our location, but instead an approximation of our position," Spock stated in a level tone. His stable voice served as a small comfort to Kirk and he relaxed.

"It's better than nothing," he replied as he turned a knob on his communicator. "Kirk to Security Detail. Do you copy?"

"_Copy that, Captain. Ensign Miles was just pulling out his communicator to hail you to check in and inform you that we've detected small collections of avian life. They were dead to our sensors until just a couple o' seconds ago,_" came Donnelly's voice with a healthy amount of suspicion.

"We picked up aquatic lifeforms, Ensign. Right now, I need everyone in the security detail to switch on their communicators. Program them to the _Enterprise_ as well as to our communicators. I'm having the ship's scanners run a cross check on the frequencies to get try help get a lock on us. "

"_Aye, sir,_" came Donnelly's voice. Jim listened as she instructed the other two ensigns to program their communicators. She sounded as if she were of higher rank than ensign. His earlier conclusion had been an accurate one. Ensign Elizabeth Donnelly was a natural-born leader. There was a short interim of time before her accented voice returned to the communicator. "_All patched in, Captain. Standing by._"

Jim nodded to both Spock and Bones as they programmed their communicators. Bones pursed his lips softly and gave a curt nod once he was checked in. Spock simply gave an affirming nod of his head. "Scotty," called Kirk into the communicator. "Confirm."

"_Aye, Captain. We've got readings on all communicators. Scanning now._"

The wait was excruciating. Jim knew that it would take some time, but even seconds seemed to lapse at hour intervals. His eyes moved over their surroundings to reassure himself that nothing was going to jump out at them while they were at their most vulnerable point. His gaze unintentionally settled on Spock. The Vulcan was also looking around and undoubtedly listening for anything suspicious. He met Jim's eyes and the captain gave a small, and slightly sheepish, grin. The science officer raised a curious brow and Jim's smirk grew. The captain quietly swallowed the stir the toiled slowly within him. He gradually pulled his eyes away from Spock and found it easier to stuff the feeling back to wherever its point of origin was.

"_We've got something, Captain. There's about a mile and a half o' land separatin' you and the other half of the landing party. There's a waterfall a mile north of where you are. Not much on the security detail's end but a lotta shrubs and the river that waterfall pours into,_"Scotty announced with obvious relief. There was comfort in knowing that the landing party wasn't invisible to the ship. "_But that's about all we got, sir. Mr. Spock was correct in sayin' that we would only pick up generalities._"

"No other lifeforms, then, Mr. Scott?" Jim asked with eyes fixed in the direction of the waterfall.

"_None, Captain,_" Scotty affirmed. There was an uneasiness in the engineer's voice that did nothing to quell Kirk's own discomfort with their situation. He was used to going into the unknown and being cut-off from the outside. The other outfit, however, was not. He knew that Donnelly would handle well under the stress, but the other two, Miles and Bailey, were the ones that concerned him.

"We'll keep in touch. Security detail, carry on with your orders. Kirk out," Jim noted as he closed the communicator. He looked to his two friends as he put his communicator back into its holster. "At least we know where we are and where the other half of our party is. We'll go out to the waterfall. I want to know what kind of lifeforms are out he…" Jim trailed off as he saw Spock looking intently into the considerably dense forest. The Vulcan was as still as a statue. Kirk silently stepped closer to Spock and saw that his chest was barely moving. The lean solidity of Spock's form took on its natural disposition of both strength and grace as chocolate eyes narrows and pointed ears shifted. Jim watched as Spock's jaw tightened and felt that stir come back with a vengeance.

A warmth accompanied the feather-light lead object that was turning within his body. He could not confine it one region as he shamelessly took in sight of the Vulcan. The heat seeped into bloodstream and turned his veins to tingling stone. It ventured south, through his groin, down his thighs, and grounded his feet with contradiction. The science officer looked regal. He was dawned with a grace and solidity that could only be Vulcan. His hybrid features fused the feral ruggedness of humanity with the intellectual sophistication of his upbringing on Vulcan. This biological combination of fortitude and nonchalance was distracting.

Jim forced his thoughts away as quickly as they arrived and hardened his amber gaze. Spock sensed danger. And it was danger enough for the Vulcan to cut the captain off. Kirk dared not to have a clouded mind. His eyes shifted to Bones to see the doctor with a furrowed brow, cerulean orbs trained on Spock. McCoy broke his eyes from Spock to look at the captain with a question blatant on his features.

'_What's going on, Jim?_' his expression seemed to read.

Jim gave an inconclusive look back, his face a mixture of confusion and determination. It seemed to Kirk that he and the good doctor were on the same page. James Tiberius Kirk and confusion were not complimentary in any situation. He transferred the feeling into a healthy amount of curiosity.

Spock returned his attention to the captain and the chief medical officer. "There was a disturbance," commented the science officer as he lifted his tricorder to the area he had previously been facing.

"What kind of disturbance, Mr. Spock?" Jim inquired as he took a step in the Vulcan's direction. If there was something around that Kirk didn't know about, he intended to find out.

"It was similar to the sound that I had heard when we landed on the planet's surface," Spock responded flatly. His tricorder showed no signs of any new developments. Jim resisted the urge to place a comforting hand on the Vulcan's squared shoulder because he knew that Spock would find the contact both unnecessary and unwanted. He could tell that the science officer was tense from their situation but Jim could also tell that he was confident in his faculties and knew what he heard to be fact. Still, something wasn't right. A tricorder could register any form of life. If it had blood, it could be read. But there was nothing. Kirk's curiosity and resolution began to sour as he impatiently wiped a sheen of sweat from his brow.

"What do you mean by _similar_, Spock? And was whatever you heard—or thought you heard—following us?" Kirk was nowhere above suspicion right now. The other half of the landing party was not fitted with a Vulcan of its own and would be oblivious to any unwanted guests. Jim had not heard the rustling nor had Bones and whatever had caused it did not show up on the scanners. The only logical conclusions that Kirk could draw from this information were that the creature did have some sort of cloaking mechanism to hide it from both the ship's scanners as well as the field scanner or it wasn't life as they knew it to be. Which meant that whatever Spock's disturbance was had the advantage over the other half of the landing party.

"There had been no previous indications of the rustle since exiting the shuttlecraft, Captain," Spock commented shortly. Kirk narrowed his eyes and knitted his brow as he fashioned the facts in his mind. Whatever this was…it was starting to agitate a normally complacent Vulcan. It was subtle but Jim had spent enough time with Spock to know when something was troubling him. Since the shuttlecraft incident, the Vulcan had been ill at ease and the planet was doing nothing to aid his apathy.

Kirk stepped aside and fixed his eyes in the general direction Spock had his gaze locked on moments before. He knew he had to alert the security detail of Spock's noise. But how could he phrase it without sounding like a paranoid man? He simply couldn't do it. There was not enough evidence to sound the alarm, even if a Vulcan swore by it. He needed tangible proof, not a gut feeling and implicit trust in his first officer. Kirk decided that if Spock was distracted by the noise again that he would inform the security outfit. Until that time, they could only carry on.

He looked to Spock with a turmoil that was concealed behind the commanding apathy in his amber gaze. "Noted," he breathed then moved his eyes equally over his CMO and his first officer. "Unless we are confronted by whatever or whoever is distracting Spock, we are to carry out orders and search for the source of the interference on this planet." Without another word Kirk moved between and then past Bones and Spock. He had removed himself from whatever tethered him to Spock's word. He couldn't go on a rustle in the bushes that he couldn't hear himself, even if he wanted to.

The trio trekked through the foliage without so much as a word since Jim barked his orders. It wasn't because they were sour towards their captain, but because they were looking out for anything peculiar, just as ordered. As they moved, Jim could hear the dampened roar of the waterfall and figured it was getting close to the time for the other half of the landing party to check in.

Jim heard a shrill chirp in one of the trees above him and stopped to look. Perched upon a thick branch sat a noticeably golden and ornate little bird. Its head cocked and small hind feathers twitched when Kirk stepped closer to the tree. On its breast were flecks of green and turquoise. For the bird looking as Earth-like as it did, Jim could tell that it was not any bird that he knew of. He turned to Spock with his lips poised in a question that need not be asked.

"It is native to this planet, Jim. All vital signs show complete adherence to the structure of the atmosphere. Chromosome composition is similar, but not exact, to the avian life on Earth," commented the Vulcan as he read the results on the tricorder. "It would appear that the security detail's findings were correct."

"Yes," Kirk deliberated as he reverted his attention back to the bird. There was another creature next to it now. It was a handsome shade of royal blue with a speckled, black beak. Its lengthy tail-feathers hung from its body and curled gently at the tips. The blue bird warbled a low, melodic tune and the golden creature lilted pleasantly in response. They flitted about each other on the branch. There was much mirth in their graceful dance. It seemed to Kirk that this interaction was not one of violence. Then the duo took off with the larger bird soaring almost protectively over the smaller. Jim noticed how the blue bird's wingspan was slightly wider than that of the golden's and how it seemed to engulf the smaller one in its wake. There was a pleasantness that accompanied the sight of the two together. Estranged by the boundaries of their separate species but together by their own choice. It wasn't often that Kirk witnessed camaraderie such as this on planets that had not been part of the Federation. To see it in animals was even rarer.

Jim grinned warmly as he turned from the birds. He did not feel the pair of dark eyes that moved over his body as he looked to Bones. "At least they're birds and fish. Not lions or tigers," he chuckled and started off again.

"I'm not going to indulge you the reference, Jim," McCoy retorted crossly as he stepped over a tree root. "How long has it been since the security detail checked in?" Bones asked as a serious change of subject.

Kirk slowed at the question and pulled out his communicator as Spock answered with "Eight minutes and twenty-seven seconds."

"Kirk to security patrol. Come in." There was a long moment of silence. "Security Patrol, do you read?" His voice was less of an inquiry and more of a demand. Silence between two halves of a patrol was never an uplifting experience and this sentiment proved itself true as dread surged through his veins. As a captain, Kirk was well equipped to deal with such natural responses in a very effective manner. Still, he was a passionate man in every sense and his honey eyes were slightly unnerved as they looked to Bones. Kirk clenched his jaw and ground his teeth before trying again. "Donnelly, _report_!" Jim growled sharply into the communicator.

The doctor's blue eyes burned a mix of skepticism and concern. Respective to Kirk, McCoy possessed the necessary balance of nerve demanded of a ship's chief medical officer. He pressed his lips together and crossed his arms over his chest to save himself from fidgeting.

There was a brief moment of static before the ensign's voice sounded in the speaker of the captain's communicator.

"_Captain_," sputtered the young ensign. Her voice was quick and quiet, but still held that ring of responsibility. "_I think that Commander Spock may have been right about his hearin' something. I canna tell you what we're seein', but it's unlike anything we've ever learned abou__t._" Her words were slow now, careful and just audible. It sounded like she had been thrown into a cage of hibernating sehlats and was doing her best not to stir them.

"Explain, ensign," Kirk hissed back with equal intensity. His eyes shot up to Spock, an apology laced in them. Guilt festered in his gut. He should have warned the security detail. The Vulcan simply raised his brow then slowly blinked. Jim understood that he was forgiven.

"_It's…a plant._" Donnelly's hushed response was laced with ambivalence. "_It's made no attempt at hostile action, sir, nor have we. It hasn't caused a single blip in our scanner but it's in front of me plain as you're hearing my voice._"

"That would explain why it did not register on my tricorder, Captain," Spock commented in a low tone as he moved closer Kirk. "A vegetative life form would not express sentient characteristics as we know them. If it were plantlike, then it would have had to evolve from the most primitive eukaryotics in the most fascinating of fashions. The creature would be more akin to euglenas and diatoms than to amoeba. It w— "

"Dammit, Spock, we don't have time for a biology lesson," snapped Bones as he moved closer to Jim. There was sweat on his brow that he did not bother to wipe off. His blue eyes blazed with a demand for action and Kirk could feel McCoy's tension as if it were his own. Jim's eyes moved over his science officer with a determined countenance.

"He's right, Spock. We have to get to them immediately. If it is alive and sentient then we might be able to communicate with it," his voice was much less fierce than his stance. He spoke as he would if he had just requested an update on their position. It was unintentional and neither Jim nor Spock seemed to catch it. The Vulcan raised a brow but did not dispute the topic any further.

"Donnelly," Kirk uttered into the communicator.

"_Here, sir,_" she breathed back. Her voice was quicker than before but her naturally stern disposition held her steady. She had more than earned her pay for the week.

"What's your current position?" asked the captain calmly. Even if Donnelly had herself under control, the rest of the landing party was patched in and if they were not as steady as she was, then Jim needed to strengthen their resolve.

"_We're maybe a kilometer from the landing zone. We were walking t'ward what sounded like a river when this thing appeared, Captain,_" Donnelly reported with a slightly less stable voice than Kirk's, but it was stable enough to relay her determination.

"Remain in the general vicinity of your area. If that thing takes one step forward you take two steps back. If it goes to attack…fire on stun. Do not kill it, Ensign. It could provide some answers. Kirk out," Jim commanded before closing his communicator.

He turned to Spock and then to Bones. With a slight tilt of his head, Jim commanded the two men in the direction Scotty had approximated. The trio moved swiftly through the underbrush. Kirk took the lead with Spock following close behind and Bones coming shortly thereafter. There was sweat on the captain's brow that threatened to fall to his eyes, but he ignored it. Adrenaline surged through his veins and pushed him onward. This was one natural occurrence that Kirk understood more than breathing. Adrenaline could save lives and clear the mind. This chemical reaction was their saving grace for they had nothing to go on but an estimated distance and a general direction.

There was something that simultaneously unnerved Jim and made him pick up his pace. There had been an interference when he attempted to contact the other half of the landing party. This meant that the creature not only had the ability to remain impervious to scanners, but it was also capable of disrupting advanced communication signals. And if that was the case, then the true inhabitants of this planet, whether they were humanoid or plantlike, were highly intelligent. Intelligence was a deadly weapon and the lack thereof was a crippling impediment. Jim hated the feeling of unawareness but loved the adventure. It was one of the reasons he and the _Enterprise_ were fitted so well. He was prepared for the unknown but variables such as these were his least favorite kinds.

Kirk had been so heavily engrossed in his thoughts that he had not noticed the gnarled root that protruded from the ground a few meters in front of him. When he looked down he was already upon it. His foot knocked into the hardened root and Kirk felt himself scramble forward. He threw his arms out in front of himself as an instinctive response. Kirk braced himself for impact. His muscles involuntarily clenched, but he did not touch the ground.

There was a strong arm around him then. It held him firmly against a heated body. A foreign jolt raced through Kirk's body and electricity sparked within the nerves of his person. His already racing heart pounded laboriously against his chest. Still too stunned by the almost fall and definite clash against his second in command Kirk was oblivious to the feeling of Spock's breath rustling his deep golden hair. Nor had he noticed the Vulcan's fingertips quickly steal away from the skin of his hand. And then Spock was away from him just as quickly as he had reached out for the captain. Jim turned around and nodded credulously to his science officer. Kirk hid the effects of whatever that unfamiliar electricity was behind his already flushed cheeks. Spock returned a curt nod as Bones stopped to breathe.

"We should be getting close now, Jim," Bones huffed as they continued. The doctor was running out of breath and at the rate they were going it was a miracle that he didn't drop over. Jim had always admired McCoy's resolve and determination. He was stubborn to the point of impossible at times, but Kirk trusted the doctor's judgment and mostly heeded his admonitions.

Kirk could feel it in his gut that they were closing in and his captain's intuition told him to expect trouble. It was mostly cautionary. Jim managed to stifle most of it as he dodged limbs and bushes. There were too many obstacles Kirk and the rest of the landing party. He had nearly completely cleared his mind of it when the doctor was proven correct in the least likely of anticipated ways.

Just beyond a thick entanglement of flora the three men heard an agonizing shriek erupt into the air. Kirk's blood turned to ice for a quick instant but he did not stop or even hesitate. His feet hardly touched the ground as he moved through the underbrush. In the wake of Donnelly's scream came two strangled sounding groans. He had heard that sound before and instantly knew to not bother with checking for vitals.

Jim held a tight grip on his phaser as he turned the dial and emerged from the plethora of shadowy foliage. Before him were three bodies dressed in red uniforms. Two were still, the other was barely moving. There had also been the creature that Donnelly had described. It was slightly larger than a man, wider, and unlike anything Kirk had ever seen. He fired his phaser and watched as the creature fell to the ground. It twitched once then was still. A weak grunt broke the newly formed silence and Jim saw a feeble movement out of the corner of his eye.

_Donnelly!_


End file.
